Studienkolleg

Assessment Test (Feststellungspruefung) for "Fachhochschulen" (Universities of applied science)

Study applicants can prepare for the assessment test by attending a generally two-semester long preparatory course offered by the Studienkollegs for the Fachhochschule institutions. The courses cover the following focuses relevant to the academic discipline which the applicant will later study:
TI-course: Preparation for technical and engineering degree courses
WW-course: Preparation for business and management degree courses
GD-course: Preparation for art and design degree courses
SW-course: Preparation for social science degree courses
DÜ-course: Preparation for Diplom-Dolmetscher (interpreter) and Diplom-Uebersetzer (translator) degree courses

The subjects taught and examined at the Studienkollegs are:

TI-course

German
mathematics
science
technical drawing (including CAD) or computer science

WW-course

German
mathematics
economics and business administration
information technology and
computer science

GD-course

German
mathematics
creative design/design
physics
CAD

SW-course

German
mathematics
social sciences (education/psychology, sociology, legal knowledge)
information technology and computer science
English

DÜ-course

German
2nd foreign language (English or French; in both cases for advanced students only)
3rd foreign language (English or French or Spanish)
Information technology and computer science

In addition to these, instruction will generally also be given in a further discipline related to the study focus. The assessment test may only be retaken once, at the earliest 6 months after the first attempt.
In order to be admitted to a Studienkolleg, study applicants must demonstrate that they will be able to understand courses held in German by passing an entrance test. Applicants who fail this entrance test may repeat it once; some Studienkollegs allow two repeats. Most Studienkollegs provide intensive courses to prepare students for the repeat entrance test. In most cases, these are denoted as pre-courses (Vorkurse).
Studienkolleg students will generally be registered as full-time students at their respective higher education institution for the duration of the preparatory course.
Assessment Test (Feststellungspruefung) for "Universitaeten (Universities)
Study applicants can prepare for the assessment test by attending a Studienkolleg preparatory course which generally lasts two semesters. The courses focus on disciplines relevant to an applicant's later academic study. The assessment test involves a written section and an oral section.
German is a mandatory examination subject for all prospective study applicants. Holders of one of the following language qualifications will be exempted from the German language section in the assessment test:

a Level II Language Certificate issued by the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK);
a Senior Secondary Test Certificate issued by the Goethe Institute;
a Major or Minor Language Certificate also issued by the Goethe Institute; or o the DSH certificate (Deutsche Sprachpruefung fuer den Hochschulzugang auslaendischer Studienbewerber).

In addition to German, the written section will also test two further mandatory subjects relevant to an applicant's respective academic focus. All the subjects taught within the relevant course focus may be tested in the oral section. Depending on the legislation in the relevant Bundesland (federal state), the assessment test may also be taken in stages.
Courses with the following study focuses are offered by the Studienkollegs to prepare students for study in their respective subjects.
T-courses: for engineering, mathematics and science-based subjects (except biology degree courses)
M-courses: for Medicine and biology-based subjects
W-courses: for economics and social sciences-based subjects
G-courses: for art and humanities-based subjects, social sciences subjects, artistic subjects; German language and literature
S-courses: for all language-based subjects (with the exception of German)
The mandatory subjects taught in the focus courses are:

T-courses:

German
mathematics
physics
chemistry
computer science

M-courses:

German
biology
chemistry
physics
mathematics

W-courses:

German
mathematics and computer science
economics or English
history/geography/social studies

G-courses:

German
history
German literature or English (English is not required for the following degree courses: German language and literature, history, art history, music, musicology, drama and film studies, print media studies, philosophy.), social studies/geography

S-courses:

German
history
2nd foreign language
3rd foreign language or social studies/geography or German literature

The assessment test may only be retaken once and at the same Studienkolleg, at the earliest 6 months after the first attempt.
Study applicants who choose to attend a preparatory course at a Studienkolleg will also be registered by the university, or in the case of North Rhine-Westphalia, by the state central admissions office. This means that they must personally submit a written application for admission to the university of their choice or to the above-mentioned state central admissions office.
As a rule, students are not allowed to apply personally to the Studienkolleg itself for a place on a preparatory course.
In order to be admitted to a Studienkolleg, study applicants must show that they will be able to understand courses held in German by passing a language proficiency test. Applicants who fail the language proficiency test are recommended to attend a pre-course. Some Studienkollegs generally offer such courses. Some Studienkollegs supplement the language test with additional subject-specific tests, for example, in the case of students wishing to study mathematics. The Studienkollegs established at the Fachhochschule institutions are responsible for applicants wishing to go on to study at a Fachhochschule (University of applied sciences). Three of the University Studienkollegs (TU Berlin, Nordhausen and Wismar) have their own Fachhochschule streams.
The Winter semester starts in October and the Summer semester starts in April. The application deadline is 15th July for the Winter semester and 15th January for the Summer semester. - [ Application Services] -